


With Arms Wide Open

by SpeckledCoffeeCups



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Adoption, Hamlet refferences, M/M, because i'm trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 02:48:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10630575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpeckledCoffeeCups/pseuds/SpeckledCoffeeCups
Summary: Alex and John have wanted to adopt since they've been married.  When they receive notification that they've been approved they are excited beyond belief.Within the week they are on their way to New York and are meeting Philip, a young boy with quirks and charm.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [buckydarling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckydarling/gifts).



> I'm shit.  
> This took longer than it should've but it's done! Hope you enjoy!

It’s been three years since John Laurens asked Alexander Hamilton to marry him, and it’s been six months since they sent in the form for foster kids. Nine minutes since they received the letter from  _ Little Angels Adoption Agency _ telling them they were approved for fostering and adoption. 

The last time Alex cried this much, John had asked him to marry him over shitty chinese takeout the ring burning a hole in his coat pocket. Now he’s crying because they’re going to be fathers. 

“Fathers, Jack we’re going to be dads,” He blubbers as they stand in their small kitchen in Virginia. Jack brushes away the tears with the pad of this thumb and smiles at Alex. 

“Does that mean you’re going to be make shitty dad jokes?” He asks and Alex laughs boisterously, his arms wrapping around John’s middle as they both laugh at the mention of dad jokes. 

“You’re such a dork,” John comments and kisses his hair holding him tightly. Alex smiles against John’s shoulder and they stand like that for a moment, not speaking, just holding each other and swaying slowly in the empty apartment. 

“Hey, what’s Beethoven’s favorite fruit,” Alex asks pulling a groan from John. “Ba-na-na-na,” John shoves him off and knocks hips with him as he reaches behind him and grabs a sausage from the napkin, and popping it in his mouth. 

“You’re pathetic.” He says and Alex shrugs, looking much too smug for such an awful joke.  He wraps his hands around his coffee mug and nurses it as he lays out two plates for the both of them to sit at the breakfast bar, splitting John’s Macbook between them.  They’re silent just searching for any adoption agencies near them, but the closest is in West Virginia,  5 hours away.  

“We don’t have to start right away,” Alex offers simply and John shakes his head setting his own mug of  café con leche aside, digging his fingers through his hair. 

“You’re going to get busier with Washington, we need to move quickly,” he reasons.  Alex wants to argue, but doesn’t.  He’s right, with Washington’s firm taking off, rather quickly to be honest, Alex is already weighed down with work. If they want to raise a child, they need to find an agency as soon as possible. Alex leans back on his seat and sips his coffee as he thinks. 

“Give me the day, and i’ll have an idea.” He says and John nods pulling his hair back and securing it with a spare pencil that litters their counter.  

“Alright.  What time do you need to be at the office?” He asks reaching for his sketchbook determined to finish this commission for the zoo by the time he’s due at the aquarium at ten. 

“8:30, I should be leaving.” he grabs his jacket and kisses John quickly and with a smile before running out the door, “I love you!” being shouted before the door shuts.  John smiles and listens for the sound of Alex returning, which he does. 

“Forgot my coffee.” He kisses John again slower, one hand slipping into his curly hair, tugging the pencil out letting his curls fall down his neck.  He smiles and into the kiss, licking John’s bottom lip before pulling back and kissing his nose. “I’ll be back tonight.” he says again softer and backs up with a smile of red lips.  John watches him leave, wondering how he was able to win Alex those 6 years ago. He turns his attention back to the sketchbook and works the lead into the paper, sketching and drawing in different styles until it’s nine fifteen.  

John doesn’t work conventional hours, and he knows this. His shifts are anywhere from 4 hours to 15 depending on what they’re doing at the aquarium. Some days it’s just research, other days it’s rescuing animals from oil spills.  Just last month they took in a flock of ducks from a spill off North Carolina’s coast for rehabilitation and clean up.  It’s not easy work but it’s what makes him happy.

When he arrives home that night, he toes off his shoes, and drops his keys on the table with a mumble. They got a turtle in today who had a straw stuck in his nose, and the entire day they were trying to get it out.  

“Babe, I’m home,” he calls out grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge as he moves to the living room. 

“Of course!  Thank you so much honey, we’ll be up in the next week or so- oh John’s home, I’ll call you later.” He hangs up with a smile and stands, a stupidly giddy look on his face. “So,”

“Good evening to you too,” Laurens comments and drops his jacket over the edge of the chair. 

“Sorry babe, it was Eliza,” Alex explains and strides to John taking his lunch from him, and unloading it into the dishwasher. 

“Eliza? Like Eliza from college.  Schuyler’s daughter?” He asks and Alex rolls his eyes as he stands and grabs chicken from the fridge. 

“Yes that Eliza, what other Eliza’s do we know?” Alex asks and John shrugs placing a kiss on his cheek as he grabs rice and veggies. 

“Just saying,” 

“Anyways,” Alex points out and cuts the chicken as he talks. “She saw on facebook that we got approved, and she has the orphanage in New York.  Said she had the perfect boy up there for us.” He drizzles olive oil in the pan before washing his hands. 

“Seriously? That’s awesome! Did she tell you anything else, age, personality, reason for being in the system?” he asks starting his own pot of water to boil the rice and start the vegetable mix. 

“Nine years old, shy but quirky.  She says he’s really smart too, taking 5th grade classes this year.  His name’s Philip Hensey, mom is unlocatable and dad was in a car accident when he was 4.” He states precisely. John’s heart hurts when he hears this boy already lost a parent so young. Alex knocks hips with him. “Hey perk up.  If it works out he could be ours.” 

John wraps an arm around Alex’s waist and squeezes. “Yeah, our little dork. He’ll probably take after you.” He teases and Alex rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah.  Do you think you can get Friday and Monday off? Go up to the city Thursday night maybe?  Eliza said he’s not getting as much attention as the younger kids are.  Something about how families typically want to raise the kid from as early on as possible.” Alex’s words hold a bite they always do when when he talks about the bias of the foster care system.  He was never adopted after he came to the states, never had a father figure untill Washington, but still was never officially adopted. He’s bitter. Just slightly. 

“Yeah, let me call in.  Shouldn’t be a problem.” He states and focuses on the dinner, mixing the greens and rice. In the end he can only get off Friday, but it's better than nothing. He packs that night, knowing it's going to be a late day tomorrow and to get to New York they will need to leave Thursday night. 

The next day John is fighting sleep as he comes home from work; the oil spill from the weekend is still bringing in casualties and he can’t handle all the sick animals on his own, but everyone was pulled thin today.  He drops his keys in the bowl his brother made in third grade, God knows how many years ago. 

“Alex?” He calls and rubs his face tired.  Just a few more hours then he can fall asleep on the drive up.  

“In the bedroom!” Alex calls and John pads to the bedroom toeing off his shoes.  Maybe he can sneak a 20 minute nap before leaving for the city. He stretches over his head, his shirt riding up to expose his tummy, and Alex glances up as John enters the bedroom.  

“Oh hey,” He smiles and glances to John’s exposed stomach before he rolls his eyes, still smiling. 

“Stop staring that’s gay,” He says and Alex laughs at the joke between the two of them. 

“Oh shit someone better tell my  _ husband _ .” The two laugh and giggle like children until John wraps his arms around Alex’s frame and rests his chin in the space where the shoulder meets the neck and breathes out slowly. His breath fans out over Alex’s neck, and his hand reaches up to rub the back of his neck. “You okay love?” He asks and John nods closing his eyes and pressing a kiss to Alex’s throat. 

“Just worn.  That oil spill is still bringing in animals, and we don’t have enough people on staff to help.  I picked up an extra shift next week, I had to,” he says with a yawn and squeezes Alex in a tight hug. 

“Really babe? Are you sure? If this goes through we could be bringing home a child this week,” Alex says and John sighs. 

“I can’t get it off.  Besides I can bring them with me to the aquarium. The guys have been waiting to see when we were finally going to bring a kid home.” He says and nuzzles into Alex’s neck breathing deep for a moment before pulling away with a kiss to his jaw.  

Alex is flushed, not surprising, and he runs a hand over John’s arm, squeezing once before grabbing their bags.  “We should get going.  I’m going to get a pot of coffee and tea going before we head out,” He says and John nods digging through the bags, double checking everything.  Clothes, toothbrushes, his sketch pad, deodorant - lube.  God damnit. 

He rolls his eyes, but doesn’t take it out.  Rather be safe than sorry.  John closes the bag and grabs an extra sweater, one of Alex’s because yes he is sappy like that, and tugs his own shirt off that reeks of oil and dish soap.  Pulling the new one on, he goes to the kitchen where Alex is pouring coffee and tea into their annoyingly large travel mugs. 

“You good to go?” He asks and Alex glances up and smiles.  

“Yeah, let’s go,” He says and John steals a roll from the counter, before slipping out of the house. 

The drive to New York is quick, even if it is over three hours to get there.  John, being John, insists they listen to the radio the entire way, and turns the volume on high to keep him awake, He falls asleep within in thirty minutes, and Alex turns the radio to boleros and spanish lullabies. 

Soon enough they pass into New York and the traffic thickens, setting them behind an hour.  So Alex takes the time to focus on John, and fully examine him.  Sure he’s seen him multiple, times in the past three years, he’s married to him for God’s sake, but he doesn’t see him every day.  

He’s beautiful. His jawline is sharp enough to make sculptures jealous, and freckles like stars painted across the galaxy that is his cheekbones. His curls are wound tightly into a bun, much like the ones Lafayette had taught them to do during college, to look sophisticated and mature. His lips, pink and flush, would send Alex to his knees at any given time also say exactly what he needs to hear when work becomes too much. 

They arrive to their hotel three minutes to eleven, and John needs awoken multiple times as they come closer.  Alex thinks it’s cute, but John tells him to suck his ass.  Alex rolls his eyes. 

“Sorry querido wouldn’t want to ruin the hotel’s sheets.” He say simply with a smirk.  He presses a kiss to John’s cheek. “Come on, then we can get to the room and then,” He says and squeezes his thigh. John yawns and shifts in his seat stretching before opening the door.  Grabbing their bags and drinks, they enter the hotel, and after minimal fuss they get their room card, second floor with one bed and a jacuzzi bath.

“The honeymoon suite?” John asks dropping his bag on the floor and kicking his shoes off. 

“It was a good price.  Besides you always said you wanted a heart shaped jacuzzi,” Alex teases and wraps his arms around John’s waist, kissing his neck slowly. 

“Babe,” John groans and Alex snickers against his neck and squeezes his waist. 

“Oh please,” He mumbles and moves to face John, pulling him into a tight hug and pressing kisses to his neck and collarbone. “Come on, there’s some alcohol in the fridge,” He mumbles before grabbing John’s face and kissing him softly. They kiss slowly, like they have all the time in the world.  John can’t help but think Alex still tastes like the ocean, a little salty but bright and urgent. 

“Alcohol?” John breathes as he pulls away from Alex and ducks to kiss his neck, careful not to bruise him. 

“I take it back. I wanna be here with you,” He says and tugs John’s hair, pulling their mouths together again. John gasps as Alex nips his lip and kisses him slowly, backing both of them up against the wall of the hotel, with a solid  _ thump _ . 

His hands roam over John’s waist and hips, before traveling around to his back, the other grasping his neck and hair.  John’s panting against Alex’s lips, using all of his self control to not drop to his knees and start begging Alex to just take him to bed already. 

“I know querido, be patient.” He murmurs and kisses him slower, making an effort to draw this out instead going straight to the sex. They have the time, they’re going to savor it.  

John groans into Alex’s mouth, his hands catching his face in a hungry kiss. “Please, Alex I just-” 

“I know,” he squeezes his waist as he passes over the shirt, his last pass dipping under his shirt, thumb rubbing circles into the hip bones. “Be patient. It’ll pay off.” He breathes and gasps when John pulls him flush against him. 

“Please babe,” he whines against his mouth before trailing his lips down his neck slowly. 

Alex doesn’t tell him no.

 

The next morning John is awoken by a kiss to the forehead and the smell of coffee and bacon. “Rise and shine my love.  Today’s a new day let’s go and grab it.” he sing songs exactly how John hates, but it wakes him up. 

“Ugh,” He grumbles and rolls over to his back, arm thrown over his face. “Too early.”

“It’s only eight thirty,” Alex states and John hears him set a mug down before dipping back under the covers, resting an arm on John’s stomach. “And today we meet him. Philip.” He says and sounds giddy like a child. 

“Yeah,” John smirks and yawns into his elbow. “You think he’s the one?” He asks and Alex chuckles pressing a kiss to his shoulder. 

“Wouldn’t that be great.  One and done. Eliza says he’s a good kid, really smart too.” He comments and John nods listening to Alex speak, eyes still closed.  

“I bet he’s great.” He mumbles. Alex chuckles and tugs his hair teasingly.  

“Get out of bed or you’ll never know,” he reasons and pulls the covers off his shoulders. John groans and Alex kisses his neck quickly.  “Bed. Out.  I have donuts waiting in the living room.” He says and John peels and eye open. 

“What kind of donuts?”

“Sour Cream and a cronut.” He says and John yawns into the pillow again.  

“I’m up,” he says sitting up.  Alex smiles at him and John takes in his appearance.  Already dressed for the day, and with coffee in hand it’s almost normal. But at the same time, they’re in New York about to get custody of a child.  

“When did you get up?” he asks taking a cup of coffee from Alex with a quick kiss. 

“About two hours ago? I showered and then went to find coffee.  All the reviews said to go to this little hole in the wall place on 42nd.  Best coffee I’ve ever had,” He states with a smirk. 

“Only you would be up that early on vacation,” He says and swings his bare legs over the edge of the bed.  He needs to shower, and soon.  

“But I found cronuts, so,” he singsongs, and pinches John’s ass, who jumps and glares over his shoulder, no malice. “Payback honey,” he says and winks before letting John dissapear to the bathroom. 

It takes no time for him to shower and dress for the day, excitement taking over.  He steps from the bathroom, toothbrush in his mouth, and shirt half pulled on. He say’s something Alex can’t hear around the tooth brush and John spits it into the sink. 

“I said, aren’t you excited? We get to meet our potential son in like,” He checks his watch, “an hour.  Oh God we’ve only got an hour.” He says and looks to Alex the most thrilled he’s seen him since they went on their honeymoon. 

“Yeah, it’s only an hour,” He says and stands after shoving his feet into his shoes.  He places a hand on John’s arm and squeezes tightly, excited. John smiles at him and grabs his hand from his arm squeezing just as tightly. 

“An hour.  Then we can meet our son.” He says with the smile and kisses John’s cheek.  “Let’s go,” He says and kisses his mouth quickly and sweetly.  John takes his hand, his thumb running along the ridges of his knuckles, squeezing tightly.  

“Our son,” 

“Our son.” John says definitively.  Grabbing jackets and phones, the two leave the hotel hand in hand, alex barely able to stand still as his excitement running high.  He’s shifting his weight between his feet eagerly and keeps running his spare hand through his hair, a tell tale sign of his excitement. John has to hail a cab because of Alex’s excitement.  He smiling like an idiot the entire time. 

A son.  The one thing Alex never thought he would have, the one dream he’s had his entire life, is coming to life right now.  He never thought he’d be a father, or that he’d make a good father.  But he’s going to be that, and with John, the only person he would ever trust himself to raise another human with. 

The ride is both too slow and too fast at the same time.  He wants to see Philip, this boy that Eliza said would be a perfect match for their little family, but is terrified to do so.  Him? A father? When he never had a man to show him how to be a father? Nervous is an understatement. He’s terrified.  

The cab pulls up and John pays the cabbie, tipping him well, before stepping out of the vehicle. 

“You ready?” He asks and Alex nods, his grin splitting his face, but his hands shaking.  They enter the front doors of the massive church that has been converted to an orphanage and Eliza glances up from her seat at the front desk. 

“Alex!” She calls and steps around the desk, her pretty baby blue heels clicking on the tile.  “It’s been so long! And John, you’re looking well. How have you two been?” She asks embracing the both of them in a hug.  She’s still so sweet, even after all these years. 

“I’ve been good, thank you,” John comments and hugs her back while Alex places a chaste kiss on her cheek.  

“Nice to see you honey. We’ve been good, excited to come up here.” He comments and squeezes her shoulders. “Where’s this boy you’ve got waiting for us?” He asks and Eliza smiles kindly.  

“He’s in the library.  Some of the younger kids were begging him to read one last story for them.” She says and leads them, smoothing her hands across the front of her dress. “They love him very much, we will all be sad to see him go.” She adds as she walks them down to the library.  The building is huge, echoing the click of her heels with every step.  

“He’s popular?” Alex asks glancing to John. Popular? Their potential son is popular?

“More like well known. He’s an excellent story teller, the other children love when he reads to them.  Currently they are asking for Shakespeare, I know,” She says and pauses outside of the large arched doors and turns to them. “He’s a good kid. Just quirky.” She says and opens the door slowly.  Inside there are eleven children.  Two lying on the ground, one with a sick under his arm like he’s been stabbed and another leaning back against a desk, another stick under his arm as if he’s been stabbed.  One boy, curly hair and enough freckles to cover three people, stands with one hand on his hip the other holding a worn copy of  _ Hamlet.  _

“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince, and the flights of angels sing thee to thy rest- Ms Eliza!” His voice is strong for his age and all the kids shoot up breaking character, chorusing the little boy.  

“Who’s getting adopted! I want to meet them! Are they here to take us away!  I don’t want to leave!” The room is loud but Philip stares straight at them before stepping down and pocketing his book.  

“Are you Mr. Hamilton?” He asks head cocked to the side. 

“Why don’t you come with us Philip and we can talk more in private.” Eliza says and smiles at the kids as the frown and pout. “We’ll be back soon, no worries,” she says and places an urging hand on Philip’s back. Alex and John exchange a look and Alex smiles encouragingly.  This is their son.  He can feel it. 

As soon as the door is shut Philip turns around and has his hands on his hips. 

“You two are my new dads are you.  I heard Ms. Eliza talking about giving me a home.” He says confidently and John’s jaw drops while Alex smiles. 

“Yeah, we would like to be.” He says and Philip looks them over, slowly, Eliza sending apologetic looks from over his head. 

“He’s incredibly perceptive.” She states and he gives them a face splitting grin, revealing a gap where a tooth should be.  

“I’m top of my class!” He proclaims. Alex and John look between each other and they don’t have to say much. 

This boy is going to become their son. 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @weehawken-dawngunsdrawn


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